


Ccj»^ 



•L. 



SH 115 
.C3 
Copy 2 



DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

BUREAU OF FISHERIES 

HUGH M. SMITH, Commissioner 



FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT 
OF SIBERIA 



By John K. Caldwell 

American Consul at Vladivostok,, Siberia 



APPENDIX VI TO THE REPORT OF THE U. S. COMMISSIONER 
OF FISHERIES FOR 1916 




Bureau of Fisheries Document No. 844 



PRICE, 5 CENTS 

Sold only by the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Oftice 
Washington, D. C. 

WASHINGTON 

GOVE2NM2NT PRINTING OFFICE 

1917 

. ^-^' i^ 



Ponograph 



D, of D, 
JUN 29 1917 






-^ 



«4^ 



CONTENTS 



Page. 

Introduction 5 

Transportation difficulties 6 

Comparative cost of outfitting Russian and Japanese fishing stations 8 

Regulations governing fisheries 10 

The fishing industry in 1913 12 

Nikolaievsk district J 2 

SakhaUn district 16 

Okhotsk-Kamchatka district 17 

Southwestern district 24 

Amur River 26 

. Simiraary of catch in 1913 29 

Japanese interest in Russian fisheries 30 

Exports from Russian far eastern waters to Japan 30 

Japanese fishing stations 31 

3 



FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA/ 



By John- K. Caldwell. American Consul (it Vladivostok, Siberia. 



INTRODUCTION. 

Fishing is probably the most iin})ortaiit inchistry in the Russian Far 
East. It is the only industry in the <Hstrict which not only attempts 
to supply the local market but exports to the European Russian and 
foreign markets. 

The fishing industry is entirely under the control of the Russian 
Government and is a State property, with the exception of a few 
fishing stations belonging to the city of Nikolaievsk on the Amur, 
which are run by the municipality of that city, and also a few places 
on the seacoast and in the rivers, donated to local tribes of abo- 
rigines. 

In the Maritime, Kamchatka, and Amur Provinces fishing is 
controlled by the Khabarovsk office of the Department of Domains. 
Administratively the waters are divided into two classes: (1) Waters 
allotted exclusively to Russian subjects, and (2) waters open to 
Japanese fishermen by virtue of the Russo-Japanese Fishing Conven- 
tion of 1907. The first class comprises rivers and their estuaries, lakes, 
gulfs, bays, and harbors; the waters opened to foreign fishing com- 
prise chiefly open seacoasts. Up to the present no foreigners other 
than Japanese have made any attempt to obtain such fishing rights. 
. Very little is known as yet as to the value of the fishing places, for 
practically no study has been made of the Priamur waters. The 
works of Braginoff and Soldatoff, ichthyologists attached to the 
Khabarovsk office of the Department of Domains, merely pave the 
way for a more extensive study. Some practical knowledge of the 
value of certain fishing places exists, undoubtedly, among private 
fishermen, principally Japanese, but it is not general knowledge. 
Therefore the Department of Domains has no way of exploiting vari- 
ous fishing stations other than by allotting them to the highest l)idder 
at public sale, and even then being very careful to allot them first for 
a very short period — from one to three years. After a strict watch 

a The investigation on whicti this report is based was requested by the Bureau of Fisheries. It is now 
published because of tlie value of the information to American fishing interests, particularly those of the 
Pacific coast. ' 

5 



6 FISHING IX THE PRIAM QR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 

of the amount of the catch, some idea of the value of the station is 
formed and it is allotted for a longer period — five years or more. 

Naturally under such circumstances this industry can not attain 
proper development. The fishermen are not better informed than 
the Government as to the value of the stations sought at the public 
tenders; often they over or under value them, and owing to their 
limited knowledge, either overstock the stations with men, salt, bar- 
rels, provisions, etc., and through a small catch suffer heavy losses or 
insufficiently supply the stations and, therefore, are unable to take 
advantage of a good run of fish. On the other hand, the short terms 
of the contracts make it impossible to equip the stations properly. 
Lack of equipment for preparing the fish, except in the crudest way, 
has resulted until very recent times in inferior products at most of the 
stations, but some of the Russian fishing stations in Kamchatka 
are exceptions. In order to encourage the Russian fishing in Kam- 
chatka and Tchukotski peninsular waters and in the Okhotsk Sea, and 
to counterbalance the Japanese predominance in these waters, in 1913 
the head administration of the Agricultural and Land Organization 
gave to Denbigh & Biritch on a long lease a fishing station on the 
Kamchatka River (eastern shore of Kamchatka), and to S. Gru- 
shetsky & Co., one on the Bolshaya River (western shore of Kam- 
chatka). In addition to the usual conditions of the lease (payment 
of royalty, the prohibition of foreign labor, etc.), each of these 
firms was to build a fish hatchery in the vicinity of its station, the 
capacity of which was to be 3,000,000 salmon per annum. Each of 
the above lessees was to release 500,000 fish in 1914, 1,000,000 in 1915, 
and 3,000,000 yearly from 1916 until the expiration of its lease. 
Owing to teclmical difficulties, the release of the first lot of fish was 
postponed until 1915. 

By a normal development of this condition, which may become a 
law, each commercial fisherman will be compelled to release a much 
larger number of yoving fish than his catch. The larger interests will 
have their own hatcheries, where doubtless the smaller ones can buy^ 
their quota. 

TRANSPORTATION DIFFICULTIES. 

The closing of the coasting trade to foreigners deprived the fisher- 
men of the possibility of makmg use of the cheap freight rates of 
foreign steamers, and has made them entirely dependent upon the 
Volunteer Fleet, which has a monopoly as a public carrier. 

The Volunteer Fleet is complying strictly with all the obligations 
imposed by the terms of its contract with the Government. It is 
making the stipulated number of voyages with the stipulated number 
of vessels, but as a matter of fact the number of steamers is not 



FISHING IN THE FRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 7 

sufficient for the trade. According to section 3 of the contract, the 
Volunteer Fleet is obliged to put on the line not less than four steam- 
ers having a carrying capacity of not less than 1,000 tons each and 
adapted for northern navigation. Each steamer must have accom- 
modations for not less than 20 cabm and 100 deck passengers, and 
regardless of the fact that the number of steamers has doubled, it is 
not sufficient for the entire satisfaction of the fisliermen's needs, 
thereby causmg heavy losses. 

On account of the limited number of vessels, the Volunteer Fleet 
is forced 'to make long round trips to distant points with calls at 
man}^ side ports. When leaving Vladivostok the vessels take on 
sufficient coal and water for the round trip. This occupies two- 
thirds of the carrying capacity and leaves very little space for cargo. 
These long trips force the greater number of the fishermen to ship men 
and provisions one and one-half months before they are required, 
and to hold their product a month after the catch is over. Owing 
to the long time that goods are on the w^ay, the fishermen are obliged 
to salt their products very heavily, which tends to lower their price 
on the Russian market. Consequently, the fishermen are obliged 
to depend on the Japanese market. The high charges of the Volun- 
teer Fleet for loading and discharging, and charges for c. o. d. dehv- 
ery (2 per cent), add 14 to 15 cents per pood of 36.1128 pounds to the 
cost of fish products from Kamchatka. It is claimed that so long 
as the Volunteer Fleet continues to be the only steamship company 
serving the fishing industry, there is not much hope of a healthy and 
normal development of the fisheries. Also, the element of risk 
to the average fisherman is so great and so hard to calculate, that 
the fishmg industry, which in Japan represents a safe commercial 
undertaking, in Russia becomes a game of chance. 

Under present conditions the fishermen are subjected to the 
'following risks: (1) Late arrival at the stations with men and pro- 
visions; (2) inability to ship prepared products; (3) enforced pay of 
workmen for overtime spent at the stations; (4) impossibility of 
obtaining additional salt and barrels if the catch is excessive, and of 
replacing men in case of strikes, for most of the stations are visited 
by steamers only twice each season. 

From the time the fisherman arrives at the station, until his de- 
parture, he is without communication with the outside world. 
Although a telegraph line was built over a year ago along the 
shores of Kamchatka, it is not in operation owing to the lack of 
operators and other difficulties. 



8 FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 

COMPARATIVE COST OF OUTFITTING RUSSIAN AND JAPANESE 

FISHING STATIONS. 

In order to emphasize the unfavorable conditions under which the 
Russian fishermen have to compete with the Japanese, the Chamber 
of Commerce committee gives comparative tables showing the cost 
of equipping an average Russian fishing station, catching about 
60,000 fish and employing 30 men, and a Japanese sea-coast station 
of similar size. 

RUSSIAN STATIONS IN KAMCHATKA. 

30 men for 5 months, at $20 per month |3, 000. 00 

Return passage for them at $8.75 per man 262. 50 

Freight on 35 tons of provisions and equipment 200. 00 

Freight on 1,800 sacks salt (90 tons) 405. 00 

Freight on 155 tons prepared fish 1, 284. 50 

Royalty on 155 tons 229. 50 

Land rental 37. 00 

Commission expenses 313. 00 

1,800 sacks of salt at 65 cents 1, 170. 00 

Nets 350. 00 

Boats 50. 00 

Dories (native type) 300. 00 

Incidentals 100. 00 

Total 7, 701. 50 

It must be mentioned that there are very few experienced work- 
men, salters and caviar makers. Those who have had experience 
during past years have settled along the coast and have their own 
undertakings; therefore the fishermen are obliged to hire unreliable 
men. There are no fishery schools in the country, and the lack 
of instructors and good foremen is felt more and more each year. 

The absence of credit institutions, which would make loans on 
fish, and the high rate of interest charged by private banks are also 
felt very much. 

The Russians have no fishing fleet, but the Japanese possess a 
large deep-water fleet. According to the figures for 1910, there 
were 7,302 Japanese fishing sailboats, 49 fishing steamers, and 396 
large fishing boats of European type, in addition to a large number 
of commercial vessels, which gave the Japanese a choice of vessels 
for the transportation of their products. Moreover, competition 
has kept freight rates low. Several small fishermen could charter 
a steamer on joint account, and in order to evade the rule prohibiting 
foreign steamers from navigating between stations, several stations 
could be rented in the name of one man and later subleased to the 
real owners. 



FISHING IX THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 9 

In 1913 a Jajianeso stoainer of 1,500 tons, havinfj; a s])oo(l of 
knots, consuming from 15 to 20 tons of coal a day, could bo chartered 
for about $100 a day. The chartering of such a steamer for 30 days, 
taking 20 (hiys for the return trip flTakodato-Kamchatka) and 10 
lay days, would have cost: 

Voyage, 30 days, at $100 $3, 000 

Coal, 20 days' steaming, 400 tons, at $3 per ton 1, 200 

Coal, 10 lay days, 100 tons, at $3 per ton 300 

Other expenses, maximum figures 250 

Total •. 4, 750 

Such a steamer would carry about 1 ,500 tons of cargo per voyage, 
and therefore the freight would be only about $3.17 per ton. 

If the steamer was chartered on the basis that it pays aU expenses, 
the cost in 1911 would have been: 

Charter cost per day. 

500 tons 188 to $100 

2,000 tons 138 to 150 

2,330 tons 160 

This would have been the cost when chartered by the day, but a 
monthly charter would have been at least 10 per cent less; a charter 
for the whole season, especially if made early — say, in March — 
might have been had at as. much as a 30 per cent reduction. 

In this way the cost of transporting fish from Kamchatka to 
Japan was one-third less than to Vladivostok. The cost of trans- 
porting workmen from Hakodate to Kamchatka was about $1.50 
per man, one-fourth of what it cost for Russian workmen from 
Vladivostok. Tlie same difference will be observed in regard to the 
cost of workmen. A Japanese workman costs a little over $50 per 
season, viz: Wages, $25; food, etc., $19.50; and commission on 
catch, $8.50. Also, there is never a shortage of men in Japan. 

The cost of a Japanese fishing station would be: 

Wages for season, 30 men, at $25 per season §750. 00 

Commission on catch 250. 00 

Chartering schooner 5 months, at $250 per month 1, 250. 00 

Food for 30 men, at $19.50 each per season 585. 00 

Passports, $1.75 each for 30 men 52. 50 

Rent of fishing station 500. 00 

Nets and dories (same as Russian) 800. 00 

1,800 sacks of salt, at 65 cents per sack ' 1, 170. 00 

Total ., 5, 357. 50 

83689—17 2 



10 



FISHING IN THE PEIAMUE DISTEICT OF SIBEEIA. 



Herewith is given a comparison of the working conditions of 
Russian and Japanese fishermen in Kamchatka: 



Russian Fishery. 

1. The Russian fishing fleet is repre- 
sented by 4 motor schooners and 3 
steamers. 

2. No Russian steamers are open for 
charter, and in the present state of the 
local industry even a subsidized purchase 
of steamers is not profitable. 

3. Russian fishermen are bound by the 
schedule of the Vohmteer Fleet, are un- 
able to increase their stock of provisions, 
etc., at will, and at times run the risk of 
not arriving in time or not being able to 
ship the prepared product. 

4. Delivery of fish cargoes, including 
discharging expenses, costs $8.40 to 
$10.50 a ton. 

5. Transporting workmen from Vladi- 
vostok and return costs $8.65 each. 

6. Wages per season for workmen (5 
months) amount to about $100 per man. 

7. Equipping and running a station to 
catch 60,000 fish costs about $7,701.50. 

8. Delivery of product to Vladivostok 
costs about $8.40 per ton. 



Japanese Fishery. 

1. The Japanese fishing fleet has 7,302 
sailing vessels, Japanese type, 396 foreign 
type, and 49 steamers. 

2. There are a great number of vessels 
in Japan, and the strong competition 
makes it easy to charter them on time or 
for the season. 

3. Having a schooner or steamer at his 
disposal, the Japanese fisherman is 
always able to communicate with Hako- 
date, and runs no risk of not ha^dng his 
goods transported . 

4. The dehvery of all cargo costs the 
Japanese not over $3 a ton. 

5. Transporting Japanese workmen 
costs $3 each . 

6. Wages per season for workmen are 
about $33.50 per man. 

7. Outfitting and running a station to 
catch 60,000 fish costs about $5,357.50. 

8. Delivery of product to Hakodate 
does not cost more than $3 per ton. 



REGULATIONS GOVERNING FISHERIES. 

The method of leasing fishing stations for exploitation, as well as 
the regulations for exploiting, vary according to the local conditions. 

On the Amur River, within the limits of the Nikolaievsk, Mariinsk, 
and Khabarovsk districts, fishing stations are leased at public 
tender, written or oral. The placing of outfits for catching sturgeon 
only is permitted, except during the closed period, from the time the 
ice on the river breaks up to June 15-28, upon payment of a special 
ticket tax. For this purpose the supervisors of the districts make up 
a list of applicants for each district, and present it for ratification to 
the Priamur Department of Domains, after which public tenders 
are held in each district at the place of residence of the supervisor. 
Some of the stations are leased for long terms and some for one year. 

No foreign workmen are allowed at the stations located on the 
Amur River. In the estuary of the Amur River foreign subjects are 
allowed to prepare the fish only, but not to catch them; the latter is 
to be done exclusively by Russian subjects. Fishing is carried on 
only by means of "zaezdka," a special kind of hedge made of poles 
with a trap arrangement at the end, or by means of throw nets. 



FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 11 

Arraii<i;om(Mits with hooks aro permitted for catchinjz; sturfjeon. The 
length of the net and hedge is estabhshed for each station and (.le])(Mids 
upon the width of the river. M\ other con(htions are <»f a secondary 
nature. 

The right to fish along the seaeoast of the whole Kussian Far East 
is open to Japanese subjects on an equal basis with Russians, by 
virtue of the Russo-Japanese Convention of 1907. w'hich was con- 
cluded for a term of 12 years; the stations applied for, after being 
ratified by the Priamur Department of Domains, are sold at public 
tender, usually during February and March. The convention ex- 
cludes certain bays and gulfs, in which fishing rights are granted 
only to Russian subjects. There is no restriction as to the nationality 
of the laborers employed at the sea fishing stations or as to the 
method of preparing the fish products, except that the manufacture 
of fertilizer from salmon is not permitted. The use of vessels under 
foreign flags is allowed. Throw nets can be used, but they are being 
replaced by permanent nets, the usual type of which are called 
■'tateami." 

In the bays and gulfs excluded by the Russo-Japanese Fishing 
Convention (Peter the Great Bay, Imperial Harbor, Vanina Bay, 
Avatchina Bay and several others), as well as in the rivers in the 
Okhotsk-Kamchatka district, the Priamur Department of Domains 
may, in accordance with an order of the Agricidtural Department, 
grant fishing rights without public tender to trustworthy persons, 
fii*st for one season, after which, if the business has been established 
on a firm basis, fora term of 12 years, under the control of the Minister 
of Agriculture and Land Organization (Invr of June 21, 1910, per- 
taining to river fishing stations). 

A rental charge of 5 kopecks (2^ cents) per pood of 36.1128 pounds 
of prepared product is made, and an unalterable condition in such 
leases is that the lessee is obliged to use exclusively Russian laborers 
and sailing vessels under the Russian flag. The use of foreign steam 
vessels is not prohibited by the administration. Throw nets not 
longer than the width of the river at the place of catching are allowed 
as are also set nets, the "zaezdka" of the Amur type, which consist 
of a barrier placed across the river from the shore to deep water and 
end in a trap. In Peter the Great Bay, in addition to the above, set 
nets and large drag nets are permitted. 

The length of the "zaezdka" can not be more than half of t)ie 
channel width; in reality a large part of the channel of the river 
where "zaezdka" are used is kept free to permit the passage of fish 
up the river. All other minor conditions of the lease are covered in 
the contract. 



12 FISHIN^G IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 

The catching of sea kale, crahs, shrimps, and trepang is now 
ahnost exclusively carried on in Peter the Great Bay and the neigh- 
boring coast; it is concentrated in the hands of small fishermen who 
obtain special tickets for this purpose from the supervisor of the 
southwestern district. 

THE FISHING INDUSTRY IN 1913. 

Along the extensive coast line of the Priamur district many 
varieties of commercially valuable fish are found. The northern 
waters of Tchukotski and Kamchatka produce mostly salmon varieties, 
the principal of which are gorbusha, known in Alaska as humpback 
or pink salmon; keta, the Alaskan chum, or dog salmon; kisutch, the 
Alaskan coho, or silver salmon; tchavitchcha, the Alaskan king, or 
chinook salmon; krasnaya, the Alaskan sockeye, blueback, or red 
salmon, and golets, known in Alaska as Dolly Varden trout. 

Dolly Varden trout are occasionally caught, when they happen 
to run with the salmon. 

Undoubtedly there are other kinds of fish in these waters, for in 
years past American whalers visited the cod banks of Kamchatka, 
but at present there is no cod fishing. Practically no attention is 
paid to any but the salmon, the principal reason for this being the 
almost total absence of local population and supplies, compelling the 
fishermen to obtain laborers and all supplies from distant places. 
As soon as the run of the principal fish is over the station is closed, 
the men sent away, and no one is left to watch later runs or to study 
the possibilities. Also the early winters would prevent late shipping 
of fish if any were caught, and the catch would have to be held until 
the arrival of the first steamer in the spring. 

The waters of the Priamur district are subdivided into several 
sections. Following is given a short description of the characteristics 
of each. 

NIKOLAIEVSK DISTRICT. 

This district comprises the whole lower part of the Amur River 
from the village Zimmermanovka down to the mouth of the river, 
about 300 miles; the River Amgun, 200 miles; the Amur estuary, 
about 150 miles on the mainland and about 130 miles on the coast 
of Saklialin Island and about 865 miles of the coast line on the 
southwestern shore of the Okhotsk Sea. 

In addition to the regular fish-catching stations there are the 
salting stations, which do not catch but only buy and handle fish, 
caviar, etc., from other fishermen, mostly local peasants, natives, 
and industrial fishermen. These salting stations, as will be seen 
from the following table, are quite numerous. 



PISHING IN THE PRIAMUB DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 



13 



According to oflicial ligurcs for 1913 the iiumlxn- of fishing stations 
of all kinds in this rcijion was as follows: 



Kind of station. 



Number 

of 
stations. 



Government stations: 

Catching ! 

Salting 

Total I 

Munieipal stations: I 

Catching i 

Salting I 

Total ' 

Grand total 



Term of lease. 



Long term . 
One year... 
Long term . 
One year. . . 



Long term . 
One year... 
Long term . 
One year. . . 



139 245,497.20 



Annual 
rental. 



$109,012.00 
10,677.00 
19, 742. 10 
20,967.00 



160,398.10 



56. 282. 10 
28, 692. 00 



125.00 



85, 099. 10 



In addition to the above stations 53 Russian villages and over 
122 native settlements participated in the fishing industry. 

In 1913 the run of humpback salmon, which began in the estuary 
on June 16 and in the river June 18 or 19, lasted during the whole 
season; this species was also found in the autumn chum run. The 
run was above the average and almost equal to the run of 1912. 
At the Government stations below Nikolaievsk 2,845,687 fish were 
caught, at the municipal stations 2,731,546. and at the Government 
stations above Nikolaievsk 111,000, while only 1,780,561 fish were 
caught by the local population. The summer and autumn runs of 
chum salmon were very irregular, especially the autumn run, which 
was divided into four separate runs, the last of which was so un- 
expected that many fishermen had already closed their stations for 
the season before it appeared. 

• The Nikolaievsk district was formerly the chief source of suppl}^ of 
fish to Japan, and the great majority of Nikolaievsk fishermen were 
largely dependent upon Japan, not only for a market but also for 
working capital. The Japanese, however, finally offered such low 
prices for the fish and made the credit conditions so unfavorable 
that the fishermen wxre comjjellod to look for another outlet for their 
product. Such an outlet was found in European Russia, and the secret 
of success of this new departure of the business was salmon caviar. 

Only a few years ago salmon caviar was almost an inedible product ; 
it was carelessly prepared, crumpled, and poorly packed. About six 
or seven years ago the Volga River black caviar dealers became 
interested in the Amur salmon caviar and began to experiment with 
it. They introduced cjeaner and more careful methods of washing 
and a better method of packing it, with satisfactory results. The 
caviar was thoroughly tested, stood transportation, and gradually 



14 FISHING IN" THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 

came to be one of the most valuable by-products of the fishing 
industry, commanding a much higher price than the fish itself. 

The newcomers also changed the method of salting fish, and 
instead of producing crude briny fish prej^ared with inferior salt from 
Japan they carefully selected the fish and thoroughly washed and 
mildly salted them with the best salt. The resulting product, called 
''semga," is similar to European cured salmon. The best qualities 
stand the railway transportation to European Kussia, where they 
command a very high price. 

The Government met the fishermen halfway by lowering the 
freight rates and by extending more liberal credits through the 
Government bank, as is shown in the following extract from an order 
of the Government bank regarding loans to fishermen, against prom- 
issory notes v»ith one signature for working capital: 

With a view to extending credit to the fishermen of the far east the Government 
bank has found it possible to allow the issuance of loans to the fishermen for working 
capital against the following guaranties: 

1. Fishing equipment; mortgages on fishing property and buildings. 

2. Real estate, situated outside the fishing station, or a sold warranty. 

All applications of fishermen are to be submitted, in accordance with clauses 30 and 
65 of the bank's by-la ws,for approval of the discount and loan committee of the branch, 
and forwarded to the council of the bank for ratification . 

Further, in view of the fact that the property which is to ser\'e as a guaranty for 
the loan is situated on land rented from the Government, and taking into consider- 
ation the special conditions of the rental of these lands, the bank has found it neces- 
sary to establish, in agreement with the Department of Land Organization and Agri- 
culture, the following regulations: 

1. Credits will be opened only after an investigation of the financial standing of the 
fisherman, made with the assistance of a local representative of the Priamur l)ranch 
of the Department of Domains. 

2. Credits will be in accordance with the verified appraisement of the fishing 
property made by the Priamur branch of the Department of Domains. 

3. When opening a credit against goods, a special notarial application to the De- 
partment of Domains is to be made by the borrower, stating that he gives the Depart- 
ment of Domains the right to cancel his rent contract at the first demand of the 
Government bank, and to use money deposited and sums due to him for the property, 
for the purpose of paying his debts to the bank. 

4. The application mentioned in paragraph 3 is to contain a clause by which the 
borrower agrees not to remove any buildings at the fishing stations, nor to turn them 
over to another person without having obtained the required permit from the bank. 

5. The apphcation mentioned in paragraph 3 is to be turned OA'er by the bank 
to the Priamur branch of the Department of Domains with the request that the 
bank be assured that the conditions of the application wt.1I be carried out by the 
Department of Domains. 

The Japanese, realizing their mistake, have put up a strong fight 
for the Nikolaievsk district. As late as 1913 the Japanese firm 
P. N. Shimada,. at Nikolaievsk, offered the Nikolaievsk fishermen the 
following prices for fish prepared in Japanese style: Summer hump- 



PISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA, 



15 



back salmon SI. 25, summer chum salmon $3.50, and autumn chum 
salmon $7 per 100 fish, the salt to be supplied free l)y Shimada. 
This proposal did not meet with much success. 

The following tal)les show b}^ species the catch of salmon in the 
Nikolaievsk district and the quantity prepared for the Russian mar- 
ket, 1909 to 1918: 



Years. 



Hump- 
back. 



' Number. 

1909 : 2,209,433 

1910 5,076,?8« 

1911 1 2,621,449 

1912 .5,822,729 

1913 5,688,233 



Catch. 



Chum. 



Summer 
run. 



Number. 

9, .'574, 285 
12, .536, 174 
10,749,482 

7,199,309 

7, 985, .579 



Autumn 
run. 



Number. 
4,858,099 
5,814,498 
4, 686, 236 
3.669,073 
4.324,187 



Prepared for Russian market. 



Hump- 
))ack. 



Number. 

145,373 
1,00.5,274 

523, 338 
1,154,913 
4,806,629 



Chum. 



hummer 
run. 



Number. 
877,423 
2, 497, 165 
2, 197, 168 
4,009,574 
6.608,804 



Autumn 
run. 



Number. 
1,398,416 
1,975,033 
2,424,890 
2,886,869 
3,212,499 



Caviar. 



Tova. 
1,040 
1,397 
1,123 
1,171 
1,107 



The number of salmon — fresh, salted, and frozen — delivered to 
Japanese buyers, 1909 to 1914, was, by species, as follows: 



Tears. 



1909 
1910 
1911 
1912 
1913 



Fresh and salted. 



Humpback. 



2,029,200 
4,071,012 
2,081,625 
4,686,016 
881,604 



Chum, Chum, 

smnmer j autumn 

run. run. 



Frozen. 



Hump- 
back and 

chum, 

summer 

run. 


Chum, 

autiunn 

run. 



8, 733, 62.5 
10,0.39,101 
8,025,216 
3,295,603 
1,2.31,775 



3, .510, 847 

3,195,506 

2,368,798 

780,303 

953,688 



48, 463 
15,000 
105,328 
102,000 
118,000 



157,081 
343,959 
129,801 
120,000 
158,000 



' In 1913 in the Nikolaievsk district salmon were prepared for the 
Russian and other than Japanese markets, as follows: 




These figures show the small quantity of fish that is canned in 
this district. Some experts claim that the Amur salmon is not 
suitable for canning purposes. In the whole district there is only 



16 



FISHING IN THE PEIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBEEIA. 



one canning factory, that of W. J. Miller, the 1913 output of which is 
shown in the following table: 



Humpback and chiun salmon: 

Natural, round cans 

In jelly, roimd cans 

In tomatoes, oval cans 

Pickled, oval cans 

In t oinatoes, round cans 

Pickled, round cans 

In tomatoes, round J cans 

TMckled, round i cans 

Total 

Caviar 

Sturgeon: 

In tomatoes and pickled, square I cans 
In tomatoes and pickled, square j cans 

Total 



Quantity. 



Cases. 
600 

58 

64 
1:^2 
486 

41 
237 

70 



Cans. 

28,800 
3,480 
3,200 
6,600 

24,300 
2,050 

23,700 
7,000 



99, 130 



4,420 



6,000 
750 



6,750 



Value per 
case. 



$3.90 
6.00 
9.00 
9.00 
7.00 
7.00 
10.00 
10.00 



20.40 



18.00 
16.00 



In 1913, by the steamer Broadmore, the following frozen fish were 
shipped: Chum salmon (summer rim), 118,000, at S6.25 per 100 fish, 
and chum salmon (autuimi run), 108,000, at $12.50 per hundred. 
Also, 50,000 fish were taken up the river in a refrigerating barge. 

SAKHALIN DISTRICT. 

This district includes the entire coast line of Sakhalin Island with 
the exception of that facing the Amur estuary, which belongs to the 
Nikolaievsk district. It is the smallest district and is now of no great 
importance. Before the Russo-Japanese War it was the most im- 
portant district so far as herring fishing was concerned. The richest 
local fishermen, Semenoff, Denbigh, Biritch, and others, made their 
fortunes here. 

The 1913 catch was not good, due to storms and a poor run of 
herring, the principal fish of the district. The catch was as follows: 



Years. 



1911 
1912 
1913 



Chum Humpback 
salmon, j salmon. 



31,000 
16,000 

38, 000 



Herring. 



286,000 12,640,000 
126,000 14,036,000 
183,000 4,483,000 



The product prepared amounted to 1,212 tons in 1911, 1,068 tons 
in 1912, and only 690 tons in 1913. 

In 1913 there were 14 stations on the island, of which 2 fish- 
catching and 2 fish-salting stations were in nonconventional waters, 
and 10 in conventional waters, 5 of the latter belonging to Russian 
and 5 to Japanese fishermen. 



FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 17 

The catch in 1913 was made into the following products: 

Tons. 

Fish , salted Russian method 79 

Caviar, Russian niethcid 22 

Fish . drj--salted lor Japanese market 274 

Herring fertilizer 274 

Fish oil ;^y 

Caviar for Japanese market 3 

Total 690 

OKHOTSK-KAMCHATKA DISTRICT. 

The northern waters of the Priamur, including the above-named 
district, are still dominated by Japanese fishermen. The Russo- 
Japanese Fishing Convention of 1907 opened the doors of this dis- 
trict to them, and in these waters they are far better equipped than 
the Russian fishermen. A fair knowledge of the fishing grounds was 
already at the disposal of Japanese fishermen, because Japanese 
schooners were in the habit of visiting and fishing in these waters long 
before such rights were explicitly granted to them. They also had at 
their command a large force of good, experienced, and cheap labor, a 
large sailing fleet, cheap credits, and ready markets at home. 

The Russians, on the contrary, were very much handicapped; the 
waters were entirely unknown to them; they had no workmen, no 
fleet, no credit, no capital, and no market but tlie Japanese. Nat- 
urally, under such circumstances, the Russians had to begin in a very 
moderate way and principally at places outside the conventional 
area, in rivers and closed bays which were visited by the Volunteer 
Fleet steamers. Further development of Russian fishing in these 
waters could progress but slowly. Some progress was made, but the 
full " Russification " of the industry in these waters is a question for 
the remote future. 

Since 1907 the progress of Japanese fishing can be seen in the in- 
creased number of fishing stations, the larger number of workmen at 
the stations, and the replacement of the sailing fleet by steamers. 
The present general appearance of the Japanese fishing station is 
just the same as in the past — temporary bamboo structures covered 
with matting, and the method of salting is the dry-salting process 
under the open sky, without w^ashing the fish. Only at places W'here 
there is a good run of red, or sockeye, salmon is there an increase of 
canned products, which are prepared merely with salt and without 
spices, and a correspondingly better equipment of the outfits. 

The bulk of the products prepared by the Japanese is sold in Japan 
and China. Of the canned salmon some is consumed in Japan and 
some is exported to England; no goods are prepared for the Russian 
market. 



18 FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA, 

Russian fishing in the Okhotsk-Kamchatka district is, as pre- 
viously stated, concentrated in the nonconventional waters, baj^s, and 
harbors, which are rented exclusively to Russian subjects on condi- 
tion that they employ only Russian workmen and sliips. 

Since 1907 quite a change is noticeable in the position of Russian 
fisheries in these waters. During the first years the Russians prepared 
fish almost exclusively by the Japanese method of dry salting, only 
caviar being prepared for the Russian market. The number of salting 
stations, where Russian caviar makers buy raw caviar from Japanese 
fishermen and prepare it for the Russian markets, is still growing. 
Three well-equipped Russian fish-canning factories have been built, 
two on the river and one on the coast. 

Tins region covers the coast line of the northern part of the Okhotsk 
Sea from Port Ayan to Penjin Promontory, about 1,620 miles. 
Regardless of occasional good catches, the Okhotsk shores are con- 
sidered poor in fishery resources, and the natives are often unable to 
catch enough fish to provide for themselves and their dogs during the 
winter. In order to establish a reserve area and to guarantee the 
future stock of fish in this region, clause 11 of the fishing law of June 
11, 1911, has been put in force since 1913, and the following waters 
have been closed for fishing: I^iya and Urak Rivers, 2§ miles along 
the shore each way from the mouth of the rivers ; Okhota and Kukh- 
tui, being two outlets of the same river, 3^ miles to the west from. 
Okhota River and 3J miles to the east from Kukhtui River, as well 
as the territory between, about 2 J miles; Kola, Tau, Yana, Armaii, 
Ola, Yama, Takhyama, Nayakhan, and Gizhiga Rivers, 2f miles on 
both sides of the mouth of each river. 

Tlie run of chum salmon in 1913 was of average proportions. It 
began July 14 and was heaviest between August 2 and 27; single 
fish were caught as late as early September. Tlie run of humpback 
salmon was good. Tlie catch was effected along the coast at seven 
fishing stations, six Japanese and one- Russian. The number of 
salmon caught in 1913, compared with the two preceding years, was 
as follows: 





Chum. 


ZT S-l^«y- 


1911(4 stations) 


641,000 
730,000 
679,948 


SSvOOO 


1912 (4 stations) 


16,000 9,000 


1913 (7 stations) 


20J 014 







The product prepared amounted to 1 ,729 tons in 1 91 1 , 1 ,891 tons in 
1912, and 2,005 tons in 1913. Of the 1913 product 1,928 tons were 
dry salted for the Japanese market, and 71 tons of Russian caviar and 
6 tons of Japanese caviar were prepared. 



FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 19 

At the riv(M" stations, outside of conventional waters, nine fisliinjr 
stations and six salting stations were in operation in 1913, the eatch 
amounting to 555,102 chum salmon, 41,252 humpback salmon, 3,198 
coho salmon, and 17,035 Dolly Varden trout, from which there were 
prepared 534 tons of fish and 136 tons of caviar for the Russian 
market and 772 tons of fish for the Japanese market, a total product 
of 1,442 tons. 

The catch in the entire district in 1913 consisted of 1,235,050 chum 
salmon, 245,266 humpback salmon, 3,198 coho salmon, and 17,035 
Dolly Varden trout, and the ])ro(luct prepared amounted to 534 tons 
of hsli and 207 tons of caviar for the Russian market and 2,700 tons 
of fish and 6 tons of caviar for the Japanese market. 

Tlie output for the entire Okhotsk district for the years 1911 to 
1913 was 2,426 tons in 1911, 322 tons in 1912, and 3,447 tons in 1913. 

West Kamchatka district. — This district includes the coast line from 
the Sopotchnaya River down to the southern Osernof shore fishing 
stations, a (hstance of .about 335 miles. Kamchatka is very inter- 
esting between the middle of July and the last of August, the season 
for the red and pink salmon. On the west coast the Osernaya River 
is the only stream that the red salmon inhabit in any cjuantities. 
All fishing is done with a device called "kaku-ami," which consists 
of a main net and a fence net. The main net is 70 fatlioms long and 
the fence net is 120 fathoms long. Tlie fence net extends outward so 
as to guide the fish toward the main net. This device is set near the 
seashore in 10 fathoms of water, where the salmon run. When the 
fish are caught, the main net is hauled up by a boat and the fish 
are transferred to a bag net called ''waku-ami,'' used for landing the 
fish. 

In 1913 there were 152 fishing stations in this district of which onl}' 
9 were leased by Russians and 143 by Japanese. In 1912 there were 
133 of such stations. At the public tenders for 1913 the Russians 
obtained 19 stations but transferred 10 of them to Japanese, after 
having made an arrangement with them in regard to the caviar. 

One hundred and forty-eight stations were operated while 4 were idle. 
A certain growth of interest is noticed in the fishing in these waters, 
especially in the northern part of the district, but ])rincipally by Japa- 
nese fishermen. The stations are gradually movhig toward the north, 
and the present empty coast lying between the Rivei"s Palana and 
Sopotchnaya will soon be occupied by fishermen. Tlie increase in the 
number of stations will be seen from the following figures: 1910, 102 
stations; 1911, 139 stations; 1912, 133 stations, and 1913, 148 
stations. These figures do not include 15 river stations belonging to 
Russians, of which only 13 were operated in 1913. 

The rental has also increased with the increase in the number of 
stations. In 1912 the highest price paid for one station was $2,540, 



20 



FISHING IN THE PRIAMUK DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 



and the average price per station was $1,094. In 1913 the highest 
price was $3,333 and the average $1,390. In 1912 the total sum 
collected by the Government from the stations was $113,348 and in 
1913, $175,674. 

In this district there are also the following rivers where fishing is 
prohibited: Tigil River, 2§ miles to the north and south of its mouth; 
Oblukovina, 3 miles on both sides of its mouth; Kolpokara, 4 J miles 
to the north and 3 miles to the .south of its mouth; Vorovskaya, 3 
miles on both sides of its mouth; Kol, 3 miles on both sides of its 
mouth; Kikchik, 3 miles to the north and 1§ miles south; Bolshaya, 
5| miles north and 25 miles south; Goliguina and Opala, 3 miles 
north of Opala and 3 miles south of Goliguina and the territory 
between them ; and Osernaya, 3 miles to th^ north and 1 § miles to 
the south. 

Formerly only sailing vessels served the stations in this district; 
later steamers made their appearance, and now a combination of 
steamers and sailing craft is growing in general use, the latter working 
as auxiliaries, feeding the steamers. The improvement in transpor- 
tation is indicated in the following table of percentages : 



1910 


1911 


1912 


80 


67.6 


54.9 


15 


20.9 


20.3 


5 


11.5 


24.8 



1913 



Japanese schooners. 
Japanese steamers. . 
Auxiliary schooners 



42.6 
18.2 
39.2 



The 1913 catch was not good; heavy storms kept the schools of 
fish from approaching the shore, and often prevented any fishing. 
The total catch was as follows : 



Coast stations: 

Russian (8) 

Japanese (140) 

River stations: Russian (13) 

Total 



King 
salmon. 



Chum 
salmon. 



Hump- 
back 
salmon. 



Number. 

95 

5,216 

4,196 



Number. 

191, 873 
3, 902, 646 

373, 812 



Number. 

1,340,685 
24, 160, 762 

1,842,090 



9,507 I 4,468,331 27,343,537 



Sockeye i Coho 
salmon. salmon. 



Number. 

25,447 

1,269,176 

226,653 



1,521,276 



Number. 

1,198 

67, 076 

33, 195 



101,469 



Dolly 
Varden 
trout. 



Number. 



99,690 



99, 690 



The output at the coast stations in 1913 amounted to 37,604 tons 
of fish, of which 1,030 tons, chiefly sockeyes, were canned, and the 
balance was Japanese dry-salted. There were prepared 1,134 tons 
of caviar, 102 tons according to the Japanese method, and the balance 
by Russian method. 

A comparison of this catch with previous years is given below : 



1909 


1910 


1911 


1912 


1913 


Number of stations 




109 
15,518 


102 

23,857 


139 

48,322 


133 

24,559 


148 


Output 


tons..' 


37,604 



FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA, 21 

The catch of the river stations was utihzed as follows: 

Tons. 

Fish prepared for Russian market -j, S46 

Fish canned for European market 105 

Fish dry-salted for Japanese market 840 

Fish fertilizer 4 

Caviar, Russian method 215 

4,010 

The catch on the river stations in 1912 and 1913 was as follows: 



King 
salmon. 



1912, 12 stations. 

1913, 13 stations. 



Number. 
3,000 
4,196 



Chum 
salmon. 



Number. 
246, 000 
373, 812 



salmon. 



salmon. 



Number. Number. 

930, 000 480, 000 

1,842,090 226,653 



Colio 
salmon. 



Number. 
33,000 
33, 195 



Dolly 
Varden 
trout. 



Number. 
71,000 
99,690 



The fish from this district are gradually attracting the attention of 
buyers. The improvements in the equipment of fishing stations 
warrant preparing a better product and thereby diminish the de- 
pendency of the district upon the Japanese market. 

In 1913 Schelohoff Bros., of Astrakhan, Suvoroff & Sons, of Odessa, 
Yasikoff, of Petrograd, and Kapeikin, a large Siberian fish dealer, 
made liberal advances of money to the fishermen in order that they 
might prepare the catch in accordance with the Russian method, and 
some of them commissioned their own specialists to superintend 
the preparation. It is only natural that under such conditions the 
district wdl gradually become independent of Japanese buyers. In 
1911, out of 3,595 tons of fish products, 2,095 tons, or 58 per cent, 
were shipped to Japan: in 1912, of 2,831 tons, 835 tons, or 30 per cent; 
whereas in 1913, of 4,010 tons, only 845 tons, or 21 per cent, were 
shipped to Japan. 

There were 12 canneries in the district in 1913, of which 2 were 
river stations, viz, Eckerman's on Polaiia River and Maynard's on Kol- 
pokava River. The best canneries are well equipped with modern 
machinery and are run by a Japanese firm, which is backed by an 
English concern. 

In 1913 the canneries on the coast produced 41,186 cases of canned 
salmon, and 4,208 cases were packed at river stations. 

The largest cannery is located on the Osernaya River. The shore 
property is valued at SIOO.OOO. There are 120 white, 30 Japanese, and 
40 Korean employees. The company runs one transporting vessel 
of 2,200 tons valued at $150,000, one power fishing boat of 400 tons 
valued at $20,000, and eight lighters. The apparatus consists of 
two 250-foot haul or beach seines. In 1915 the catch was 60,000 
sockeye, 500,000 humpback, and 75,000 chum salmon. The product 
was 5,200 cases (48 one-])ound flat cans per case) of sockeyes valued 



22 FISHING IN THE PRIAMUK DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 

'at S40,000, 19,800 cases of humpbacks worth $120,000, and 4,000 
cases of chums worth $24,000. Also 5,000 pounds of dry-salted 
humpbacks were prepared, as well as 7,200 pounds of salmon fertil- 
izer worth $72. This plant was built in 1914. The buildings are of 
steel shipped from England; the machinery is all American. One net 
is operated by the company and one by local inhabitants known as 
"colonists." 

The Osernaya River is a natural place to find red, or sockeye, sal- 
mon, but owing to the Japanese concessions higher up the coast very 
few reds now reach the river. 

Another plant is operated on the Bolsheresk River, the shore prop- 
erty being valued at $5,000. This plant employs 200 whites and 50 
Japanese and uses two 250-foot haul or beach seines. The product 
in 1915 was 700,000 pounds of pickled sockeye salmon. The conces- 
sion at present is used for salting only, but the erection of a cannery 
for humpback salmon is being cUscussed. No reds are found in the 
river, but there is an abundance of humpbacks. 

A Japanese firm has a cannery 5 miles north of the Osernaya River, 
employing 400 Japanese; the land plant is valued at $35,000. The 
plant has one transporting vessel worth $1,500, six lighters worth 
$1,000, and three 5,000-foot floating traps valued at $5,000. This 
cannery was built in 1913. The building is of wood and was con- 
structed first in Hakodate, taken apart, and reassembled in Kam- 
chatka. Tlie machinery is xVmerican made. In 1914 the can- 
making machines were removed to Hakodate, and the cans are now 
made there. The company has three coast concessions, one at the 
cannery and one on either side. They put up 27,000 cases of sock- 
eyes in 1913 and 15,000 cases in 1914. The product in 1915 was 
20,000 cases (48 half-pound flat cans per case) of sockeyes, worth 
$100,000: 18,000 cases (48 one-pound flat cans per case) of sockeyes, 
worth $126,000, and 15,000 cases (48 one-pound flat cans per case) of 
humpbacks, worth $60,000. They also dry-salt a considerable 
cjuantity of humpbacks. 

E'arther up the coast there is another cannery which makes its cans 
and does aU work by hand. Beyond this plant there seem to be no 
sockeye salmon along the west coast of Kamchatka. 

East Kamcliatka district. — This district covers the coast line of the 
eastern Kamchatka and Anadir Peninsulas, about 1,843 miles. The 
majority of the fishing stations are concentrated around Karaguinsky 
(Count Litka) Bay, in the straits from the Malo-Voyam River to 
Kitchigin River, about 135 miles long, and in the region of Kamchatka 
River. 

The area closed to fishing in this district consists of the shore line, 
7 miles to the west and 2§ miles to the east of the mouth of Kamchatka 
River. 



FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 



28 



The run of fish in 1913 was retarded very much hy late ice, which 
remained until the end of June and in some ]ilaces as late even as 
July. However, the run of fish, es])ecially of chum salmon, was goocK 
At some places (Pankara and Russakova Rivers) large schools of fish, 
averaging Ih to 2 miles wide, appeared early in August, hut the sta- 
tions were closed. The Anadir River had a good run. There were 
hardly any runs of sockeye and coho salmon hetween the Kitchigin 
and Yki Rivers, and a rather small run in the region of the Kamchatka 
River, which is of special importance on account of the canneries. 

In 1912 at 10 coast fishing stations 700,000 sockeyes and 250,000 
cohos were caught, while in 1913, at nine stations only 393,000 
sockeyes and 95,000 cohos were taken. 

The catch of salmon at the coast stations for the years 1911 to 1913 
was as follows: 



King. 



Number. 

1911, 38 stations 8, 000 

1912, 54 stations 29, 000 

1913, 61 stations i 30, 167 



Chum. 



Number. 
3,085,000 
3, 414, 000 
6, 464, 224 



Humpback. Sockeye. Coho. 



Number, i Number, i Number. 

1,627,000 I 750,000 ] 218,000 

497,000 I 745,000 249,000 

2,623,997 i 399,207 98,043 



The output amounted to 11,399 tons in 1911, 11,467 tons in 1912, 
and 21,192 tons in 1913. Of the 1913 product 250 tons of fish were 
salted according to the Russian method, 19,076 tons dry-salted hy the 
Japanese method, 1,030 tons were canned, 700 tons of caviar were 
prepared for the Russian market, and 136 tons for the Japanese 
market. Twenty-five cases of crabs were also canned. 

At the river stations, 28 in number, of which 26 were operated in 
1913, the catch in that year was 1,315 king salmon, 1,055,045 chum 
salmon, 647,595 humpback salmon, 460,494 sockeye salmon, 54,780 
.coho salmon, 18,671 Dolly Varden trout, and 88,740 herring. Prod- 
ucts prepared amounted to 1,405 tons of fish, Russian salted, 611 
tons canned, 2,261 tons Japanese dry-salted, and 198 tons of Russian 
caviar, a total of 4,475 tons. 

The grand total of the 1913 catch in this district was: 





King 
salmon. 


Chum 
salmon. 


Humpback 
salmon. 


Sockeye 
salmon. 


Coho 
salmon. 


Dolly 
Varden 
trout. 


Herring. 




Number. 
30, 167 


Number. 
fi. 464. 224 


Number. 
2.623.997 


Number. 
.SOQ. 207 


Number. 
98,043 
54, 780 


Number. 


Nvmber. 


Outside conventional waters 


1,315 i' 055^ 045 j '647^595 i 460,' 494 


18,671 


88, 740 


Total 


31,482 


7,519,269 3.271.592 i 859.701 


152,823 


18,671 


88,740 













The total output of , prepared products was 25,668 tons, divided as 
follows: Fish, Russian salted, 1,655 tons; fish, canned, 1,641 tons; 
fish, Japanese dry-salted, 21,337 tons; Russian caviar, 898 tons, and 



24 



FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 



Japanese caviar, 137 tons. The total output in 1912 was 15,663 tons, 
and in 1911, 16,388 tons. 

All canning factories in tliis district are located in the neighbor- 
hood of the Kamchatka River. One belongs to the Russian firm, 
Denbigh & Co., and the others to Japanese. Denbigh & Co. operate 
two excellently equipped power canning plants with American mod- 
ern machinery, and during 1913, 1914, and 1915 they packed salmon 
as follows: 



Years. 


Sockeye. 


Coho. 


Chum. 


Hump- 1 
back. 1 


King. 


Total. 


1913 


Cases. 
33,000 
41, 203 
36,763 


Cases. 
10,000 
11,253 
26, 176 


Cases. 
18,000 J 
19, 103 
39,426 


Cases. 


Cases. 


Cases. 
61,000 
71,559 


1914 


"'"i,'44i" 


20' 


1915. 


103,826 







SOUTHWESTERN DISTRICT. 

This district covers the waters from the southern boundary of the 
Amur River estuary (the line between Capes Lazaref and Pogibi) 
down to the Chosen frontier, including Vanina Bay, Imperial Harbor, 
Peter the Great Bay, and other bays. The total length of the shore 
line is about 1,350 miles. 

Tiiis district may be divided into two principal parts : The north- 
ern, from Lazaref-Pogibi line to Cape Povorotni, which, with the 
exception of various bays, includes the conventional waters; and 
the southern part, composed of Peter the Great Bay and Posiet Bay, 
both of which are excluded from the conventional waters. 

In the northern part the fishing stations are rented on the public- 
tender basis, and the great majority of the station owners and work- 
men are Japanese. Chum and humpback salmon are caught to some 
extent, especially the latter, but the principal fish is herring. The 
spring herring is made into fertilizer by the Japanese, and some fish 
oil is extracted. During the past three to five years the Tartar 
Straits fishermen have begmi to salt herring in a very crude way, 
and the product commands a rather low price. The principal group 
of herring-fishing stations begins to the north of Imperial Harbor, 
about Datta Bay, and continues 50 to 60 miles to the south. 

In the southern part there is a wider range in the varieties caught, 
viz: Crabs, shrimps, oysters, trepang, and sea kale. In this section 
fishing is exclusively in the hands of Russian subjects, who fish dur- 
ing the entire year. 

Peter the Great Bay chiefly supplies the Vladivostok market with 
fresh and frozen fish, crabs, shrimps, etc., and during the spring run 
of herring large quantities, fresh and mildly salted, are shipped to 
Chosen, Japan, and China. It supplies Vladivostok with herring, 
bass, carp, flounders, trout, and chum and humpback salmon. 



FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 



25 



In convontional waters the 1913 catch was smaller tlian in 1912 
and 1911 and was about equal to that of 1910, which was considered 
a poor yt'ar, «is will be seen from th(> following figures: 1910, 
25,000,000 herring and 1,388 tons of fish fertilizer; 1911, 32,800,000 
herring and 2,033 tons of fertihzer; 1912, 27,950,000 herring and 
1,857 tons of fertilizer; 1913, 25,070,000 herring and 1,388 tons of 
fertilizer. 

In excluded bays the run w'as somewhat better, and in St. Olga 
and Vanina Bays it was very good. The result of the catch of her- 
ring for the years 1910 to 1913 was: 1910, 1,375,000; 1911, 2,050,000; 
1912,3,477,000: 1913,2,441,000. 

The poor catch of 1911 and 1912 greatly dimhiished tlie fishing 
interest in Peter the Great Bay, and the number of fisliing staticms 
decreased from 44 in 1912 to 17 in 1913. The catch of 1913 was, com- 
paratively speaking, good, especially the herring catch. The follow- 
ing figures show^ the herring catch in the years 1910 to 1913: 1910, 
6,018,000; 1911, 4,476,000; 1912, 5,142,000; 1913, 10,391,000. 

The catch of dorse was smaller than in 1912; that of smelt was 
better. About 400,000 crabs w^ere caught: about 15,000 of these 
were sold fresh at Vladivostok, and a smaU frozen consignment was 
shipped to European Russia. The balance, about 125 to"lis, was dried 
for the Chinese market. 

Shrimp fishing is very little developed; about 10 tons were caught 
in 1913. Sea kale was obtained to the extent of only 1,000 tons. 
Only 125,000 oysters were brought to Vladivostok, and 9 tons of 
trepang w^ere prepared for the C'hhiese market. These figures do 
not include fish, etc., caught by local peasants. 

The grand total for 1913 of the catch in this district was: 



' 


Peter the 
Great and 
other bays 
excluded 
by the 
conven- 
tion, but 
including 
the catch 

of 33 
villages. 


Conven- 
tional 
waters. 




Peter the 
Great and 
other bays 
excludeci 
by the 
conven- 
tion, but 
including 
the catch 

of 33 
villages. 


Conven- 
tional 
waters. 


Number of fish caught: 

Chum salmon 

Humpback salmon . . . 


102,000 

213,000 
15, 849, 000 

933,000 
3,400,000 

150,000 


36,000 

445,000 

25,070,000 


Products prepared— Con. 
Fish, fertilizer.. tons. . 
Caviar, Japanese mar- 
ket tons.. 


182 


1,388 
5 




Caviar, Russian mar- 
ket tons.. 






Smelt 




8 21 




1,900 , 


Fish oil, Russian ' ; 




287, 600 
79,000 
46,000 




market tons..: 31 ! 85 







Fish for Russian mar- ! 




1 


ket tons.. 1,799 




Trout 


11,800 


Fish for Chinese and 
Chosen markets. 
tons.. 1,167 






155 
761,000 






467,000 
533 




Products prepared: 

Fish, dry -salted for 
Japanese market 


Crabs do....i 125 

Sea kale do.... 1,866 

Trepang do 9 

Shrimps do 29 















26 FISHING IN THE PRIAM UR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 

Import of herring at Shanghai. — According to the "Priamurskaya 
Vyedomosti," the agent of Commerce and Industry for China and 
Japan states that the Shanghai market is supphed with fish similar 
to herring, caught in Chhiese waters, and the importation of herring 
depends upon the local catch of this fish, of which there is not enough 
to satisfy the demands. Large foreign firms import quantities of 
American and Japanese herring, the price varying from $2.37 to 
S2.84 per hundred pounds. The average weight of one herring is 
about 1 pound. 

At the end of March or the beginning of April the catch of fish in 
Chinese waters begins, and therefore the prices on imported herring 
decrease. Toward warm weather the demand ceases altogether. 

American herring, of an average weight of one-fourth pound, 
have a good market in Shanghai during autumn, winter, and spring, 
and they bring from $2.37 to $3.32 per hundred pounds. 

All kinds of fish dried in the open air find a good market in Shang- 
hai during the entire year. The prices range from $2.84 to $3.79 
per hundred pounds, depending upon the kind of fish, the smaller 
sizes bringing better prices. The fish are packed in bales. 

During recent years the Vladivostok fish dealers have made attempts 
to introduce 'their herring into China, but notwithstanding that their 
herring are better than the local or the American product the 
attempts have not been very successful. This is explained by the 
fact that the buyers of fish at Vladivostok do not live up to their 
contracts. There were instances where the boxes contained more 
Chinese cheap salt than fish. However, fish of good quality that 
have succeeded in reaching Shanghai have been well received, and 
consignments before the Chinese spring holidays have brought as 
much as $8.50 per hundred pounds. 

Up to the present Russian fish dealers have been dealing through 
small commission agents, whose services were not satisfactory. 
Unfortunately, almost all of the Russian fishermen in Vladivostok 
are without sufficient capital to place the industry on a business basis. 
They have not the money to secure a large catch early enough in the 
spruig to enable them to deliver it to the market before the Chinese 
holidays and before the local fish appear on the market. The 
principal run of herring occurs after the Chinese holidays, and there- 
fore arrangements are needed to enable the fishermen to preserve the 
fish until the fall, when the market again becomes profitable. 

AMUR RIVER. 

The figures obtainable of the Amur River fishing are far less accu- 
rate than those of sea fishing. The control of this fishing is intrusted 
to GovernmBut foresters and not to special men, as in the sea-fishing 



FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 27 

districts; the foresters regard it as a secondary matter and give it 
scant attention. On the other hand, fish on the Amur are to a hirge 
extent replacing cereals for the local inhabitants, not only foi- natives 
but also for Russians, and for this reason as many free fishing stations 
are given to the inhabitants as are deemed necessary to insure their 
food supply. Owing to alleged abuse of this privilege and to the 
inadequate and lax control by the foresters, the several rules and 
regulations providing for close seasons for the most valuable fish and 
prohibiting the use of certain methods of capture can not, it appears, 
ho enforced among the river fishermen. 

The Amur River region is quite different from tlie northern waters. 
Here chum and humpback salmon are the principal fish, and two or 
three runs of each of these varieties occur annually. The Amur River 
fishing has a very far-reaching effect on the whole life of the Maritime 
and Amur Provinces. The principal fishing is concentrated in the 
northern part of the river and in its estuaries. The width of the 
river, the frequent storms during the runs, and the regulations gov- 
erning the construction and size of the fishing gear all assist in allow- 
ing the fish to pass the innumerable fishing stations at the mouth of 
the rivei- and its estuary ajid to reach the upper parts of the stream. 
The runs of fish up the river replace, in the Maritime Province, the 
harvest time in other sections of Russia. By far the greater part of 
the inhabitants along the river catch fish; they are eaten fresh and 
are salted, dried, and prepared in other ways for future consumption. 
In the diet of the peasants and natives of the Amur River system fish 
replaces grain. The natives prepare the fundamental ft)od for their 
dogs from the fish heads and bones. In the Maritime Province the 
salmon ascend the Amur as far as the Ussuri River and its tributaries; 
in the Amur Province they often ascend as far as Blagovyestchensk. 

Beyond Nikolaievsk only the surplus salmon are sold, the bulk of 
the catch being prepared for home consumption. 

The lower part of the Amur River and its estuary is occupied by 
the largest, oldest, and best fishuig stations, some of which are 
already fully equipped with proper quays, sheds, ice cellars, and even 
refrigerators, electric lights, and yard radroads. The longer a station 
exists the better it is studied and the greater its value becomes. In 
March, 1916, pubHc tenders were held for some of the best stations, 
and the increase in their value can be seen from the following figures : 
In 1908 one of these stations was leased for SI, 500; in 1912 the same 
lessee paid $3,000 for it, and last March (1916) it was leased by an 
outsider for $21,000. Another station, regarded as one of the best, 
was leased by the same man for 12 years at $2,500 per annum; this 
year the old lessee offered $48,000 for it, but was outbid by a new 
man, who offered $58,000 per annum. 



28 



FISHING IX THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 



The expensive outfitting of the fishmg stations, regardless of the 
rent period, is due to the fact that, in order to encourage better 
equipment, the Government introduced a clause into the rules of the 
rental contracts and the public tender conditions by which, in cases 
wliere fishmg stations changed hands, the new owner must buy all 
the equipment from the former owner at cost price. In case the 
parties do not agree to the valuation of the property, the Department 
of Domams is authorized to appraise it, which valuation is bmdmg for 
both parties. The practice of the last three to four years shows very 
satisfactory results from these conditions, and smce the introduction 
of this rule many fishing stations have been improved and equipped 
to a greater extent than in former years. 

Sturgeon, perch, bass, carp, and many other fishes are caught at 
the Amur River stations, but the volume of their catch is not large, 
and the fish are consumed locally. 

Fishing on the Amur River is divided into two districts — the Mari- 
insk, or the lower Amur district, and the Khabarovsk district. 

Mariinsk district. — This district includes the area from the village 
Troitskoe to the village wSophiskoe, or a tract about 278 miles long. 
Of 147 fishing stations existing in this district in 1913, only 27 sta- 
tions were commercial; the balance (120) Vere given free to 18 Rus- 
sian and 49 native villages. 

The result of the 1913 catcl? of salmon was as follows, the total 
being compared with the two preceding years : 





Hump- 
back. 


Chum. 




Summer 
run. 


Autumn 
run. 


1913. 


Number. 


Numher. 

44,400 

(150 

32,410 


Number. 
480,321 






330, 334 






174,401 








Total 




77,4ti0 985.056 










Total, 1912... 


450 


117,700 

7S,4G1 


1,033,559 


Total, 1911 .' 


1,118,770 









In addition to the fish prepared for home consumption, the local 
ii^habitants put some of the products on the market, viz: Salted 
summer chums 73 tons, autumn chums 1,476 tons, and 68 tons of 
caviar. In addition to this, 116 tons of summer chums, 877 tons 
of autunni chums, and 62 tons of caviar were prepared by commercial 
fishermen. 

Khabarovsk district. — This district includes the river line from the 
northern boundary of the Mariinsk district up the river to Khaba- 
rovsk, about 127 miles. The district is very similar to the Mariinsk 



FISHING IN" THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 



29 



district. In 1913 there were 39 free fishing stations in tiie district, 
aEotted to 20 Russian and 19 native villages, and 3 commercial 
fishing stations. 

According to official reports 278,514 fish were caught in 1913, i. e., 
268,514 autumn chum salmon at the free stations and lO.OOO at the 
commercial stations. About 154,000 fish were used for home con- 
sumption, the balance being sold fresh and salted in tlu> neighboring 
markets. 

Sturgeon fishing is greatly developed in this district; about 4,623 
sturgeon, weighing over 34 tons, were registered in the 1913 catch, 
but the actual number is very much higher, as many fish were not 
registered. In addition to sturgeon, about 158 tons of pike, bream, 
carp, crucian carp, sheatfish, etc., were caught by the peasants. 

SUMMARY OF CATCH IN 1913. 

The total number of fish caught in the waters of the Russian Far 
East, and the quantity of product prepared there, m 1913, is as 
follows : 

Number of Fish Caught. 



Districts: 


Salmon. 


Dolly 

Varden 
trout. 


Herring. 


King. 


Chum. 


Humpback. 


Sockeye. 


Coho. 


Khabarovsk 




278,514 

1,062,516 

18, 262, 373 

138, 750 

77, 279 

1,235,050 

4,468,331 

7, 519, 272 












Mariinsk . . 


















7, 468, 794 

657, 981 

184,524 

245,266 

27, 343, 537 

3,271,592 








12,600 
40,919,600 
4,482,500 








1,915 


11,824 








Okhotsk 






3,198 
101,471 
152, 823 


17,035 
104,750 
18,671 


West Kamchatka 

East Kamchatka 


9,507 
31, 482 


i, 521, 276 

859, 701 


100,000 
88, 740 


Total 


40,989 


33, 042, 085 


39,171,694 


2,380,977 


259, 407 


152, 280 


45, 603, 440 







Products Prepared for Market. 



Districts. 



Khabarovsk 

Mariinsk 

Nikolaievsk 

Southwestern 

Sakhalin 

Okhotsk 

West Kamchatka 
East Kamchatka. 

Total 



Salmon. 


Herring. 


For 
European 
market. 


For 
Japanese 
market. 


For For 
European! Japanese 
market. ! market. 

1 


Tons. 
415 


Tons. 


Tons. 


Tom. 


2,672 

42,944 

310 

101 

741 






7,204 
533 

277 
2,867 


3 

784 
38 


i,"88i 

274 



5,331 
4,180 



37,422 
21,473 



56,694 69,776 



848 



2,155 



30 FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBERIA. 

Miscellaneous Fishes Prepared by Districts. 



Species. 


Khabar- 
ovsk. 


Nikolai- 
evsk. 


South- 
western. 


West 
Kam- 
chatka. 


Total. 


Sturgeon 


Tons. 
34 


Tons. 
113 


Tom. 


Tons. 


Tons. 
147 






45 




45 








166 
50 
29 

125 




166 


Smelt 








50 










29 


Crab 






5 


130 


Sea kale 






1,867 
594 


1,867 


Other 


158 


548 




1,300 










Total . 


192 


661 


2,876 


5 


3,734 





JAPANESE INTEREST IN RUSSIAN FISHERIES. 
EXPORTS FROM RUSSIAN FAR EASTERN WATERS TO JAPAN. 

The "Vyestnik Finansof, Promyshlennosti i Torgovli" (Messenger 
of Finance, Industry and Commerce; No. 50, of Dec. 13 to 26, 1915) 
gives the following statistics of the exports of fish from the Priamur 
district to Japan from 1907 to 1913, inclusive, showing the per cent 
of increase or decrease in each year as compared with the preceding: 



Years. 



1907 
1908 
1909 
1910 



Quantity. 



Value. 



Increase 

( + )or 
decrease 
( — ) com- 
pared with 
preceding 

year. 



Years. 



Tom. 
34,058 
40,944 
61,225 
71,572 



$1,421,398 
1,867,690 
2,419,442 
2,690,072 



Per cent. 

+21 

+48 
+ 18 



1911 
1912 
1913 



Quantity. 



Tons. 

105, 821 
65,513 
92,270 



Valug. 



Increase 
( + )or 

decrease 

( — ) com- 
pared with 

preceding 
year. 



Per cent. 
$3,614,077 I +32.38 

3,046,623 I -3&08 

3,460,260 I +13.34 



According to the kind of fish or products, the exports of 1913 con- 
sisted of the following: 



Product. 


Quantity. 


Value. 

$1,898,495 

1,138,693 

109,721 

257,947 

18,635 


Product. 


Quantity. 


Value. 


Chiun salmon 


Tons. 

38,481 

47,987 

2,383 

2,025 

730 


Caviar 


Tons. 
436 
228 


$25, 805 
10 964 


Humpback .salmon. . 


other 




Total 






Canned fish 


QO 970 


3,460,260 


Herring 













The localities or districts from whence these goods were shipped 
were as follows: 



Districts. Quantity. 


Value. 


Districts. Quantity. 


Value. 


Tons. 
Kamchatka 62,900 


$2,889,734 
141, 106 
141.597 
117,981 


1 Sakhalin 


Tons. 
701 
3,110 


$30, 647 


Nikolaievsk 2, 738 


Maritime Province 


139, 168 




Total 




Okhotsk !.'.!!!!!!!!!!! 2' 6.')2 


75,601 


3,460,233 









FISHING IN THE PRIAMUR DISTRICT OF SIBF>RIA. 



31 



iin- 



These goods woro shipped to various Ja))niicsc ])orts. The 
portance of these ports as fish markets may be seen from the following 
figures which give the amount of fish landed during the ])eri()d 1 OH- 
IO 13, in percentages of the grand total of imports: 



Hakodate. 
Yokohama 
Ningata. . . 

Otani 

Fnsiki 



1911 



P(r cent. 
(i4.9 
10. 
7.9 
5.9 
4.8 



1912 



Per cent. 
(is. 4 
10.1 
8.3 
.i.2 
4.1 



1913 


Per cent. 


73. 7.5 


9.38 


7. 84 


3.29 


2.92 



Forts. 



Tsiinipa 
.Aomari. 
Others.. 



1911 



Per cent. 


Per cent. 


Per cent. 


3.f. 


1.1 


1.19 


1.1 


1.4 


..% 


1.2 


1.4 


1.04 



1913 



100 



JAPANESE FISHING STATIONS. 

The Japanese Advertiser of March 22, 1016, had the following in 
reference to Japanese fishing stations in the Russian far eastern 
waters: 

Owing to the increased demand for tinned fish as provisions of war, the attention 
of industrial circles has been directed to fishing enterprises. The fishing along the 
coast provinces of Asiatic Russia has been made the object of much interest and com- 
petition among the Japanese and Russians. Though various knotty prol)lems that 
impaired the interest of the Japanese have recently been settled in their favor by the 
lenient attitude of the Russian authorities, the Japanese have now been hard hit by 
the increase of the lease rate for the fishing zone. According to the statement of Mr. 
Matsuzaki, Eirector of the Marine Industry Bureau, the tender for the present year 
for the lease of fishing zones in the -coast provinces has resulted in the loss of 26 zones 
for the Japanese side from that of last year. The quotations have risen remarkably, 
evidently because of the ever-increasing demand for preserved fish. For instance, a 
zone for which the Imperial Marine Goods Co., obtained the lease last year at 6,660 
yen. has gone to a Russian concern at 21,000 yen. Another zone which a Japanese 
firm obtained at only 3,100 yen last year, has also gone to a Russian firm at 22,000 yen. 
The inability of the Japanese to bid higher may partly be ascribed to the shortage of 
ships and the rise in the charter rate, but the real reason is the Russian competition, 
caused by the prosperity in the trade in fish. 

The fishing enterprise in the coast provinces has formerly been practically monopo- 
lized by Japanese. But the recent development in fishing has attracted the attention 
of Russian business men, and they have obtained the financial help of foreign capi- 
talists interested and scored a success in the campaign. The fishing enterprise 
requires large and perfect tinning plants, but the Russians lack these plants, and it is 
easy to imagine that the foreign capitalists, ha\'ing the plants at their disposal, have 
invested capital in backing the Russian fishermen. Mr. Matsuzaki has warned the 
Japanese fishing firms to beware of this new development. 

The following is a table showing the number of fishing zones leased to Japanese and 
Russians for this and last year and the amounts of the leases: 





Number of fishing zones. 


Amount of lease. 




Japanese. 


Russian. 


Total. 


Japanese. 


Russian. 


Total. 


1915. . 


231 

205 


34 
42 


265 
247 


Yr.n.a 
702,244 


Yen. 
143,118 


y-fTi. 
845,3*^2 


1916 


723,585 170,278 


893, 8C3 











a A yen is equal to about $0,498. 

o 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



002 860 769 6 



v^J 



